Ishmael Ensemble (UK)
In a UK jazz scene bursting at the seams with exciting new talent, Ishmael Ensemble stands out for two reasons. Firstly, they sound entirely and unabashedly Bristolian,¹ which – given the London-centrism of contemporary British jazz – adds a remarkable freshness to their music. The second reason why the band stands out from the crowd is its deep understanding of electronic music that is so fondly used by British jazz groups. During the bandleader Pete Cunningham’s years spent as a DJ, he stitched traditional jazz elements into house and techno, which resulted in the inevitable establishment of a prominent framework: the fusion of modern club music and jazz. That is the heritage that the latter Ishmael Ensemble took onwards, while incubating Bristolian musical talent.
Band members:
Pete Cunningham (saxophone)
Stephen Mullins (guitar)
Jake Spurgeon (keys/synth)
Rory O’Gorman (drums)
Time and location of the concert: IX. 19. ► 18:00 ► Tamási Áron Theatre, Main Hall
¹ The term Bristol sound was born in the late 80s, early 90s, and is marked by artists like Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, Roni Size, The Wild Bunch.
